Blind Squirrels

[Fireweed]

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Blind Squirrels.

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[lovesmice]

Unlike squirrels, mice/rats have poor vision to begin with so while it would affect them if they were to completely lose vision, it must be much harder for squirrels to adjust. I imagine you do many of the same things to help them deal with it, though, such as to keep everything in the same place in the cage and to avoid placing any obstacles in a well traveled path such as between the sleeping quarters and food/water. Also, making the critter aware of one's presence before approaching/handling so as to not startle is important.

This is a very good topic, Fireweed. I will be interested to read what others post.

[Mommaluvy]

I have a 4-5 weeker with one eye opened. I think its prematurely opened. She is very small but well furred. I just got her in intake Monday. I know NOTHING about her past.

Can a prematurely opened eye cause blindness? How can I tell if she has vision in the eye? I would be afraid to " flick" at her because she may feel the breeze on her whiskers.

[sleeping koala]

There used to be an English lass who used to post on TSB who had a blind grey squirrel that was found in her yard.

[Fireweed]

Lovesmice - I agree. Keep everything in the same place. Also, when I let my squirrels out to new rooms/areas, I only let them explore a small area at one time. I try not to overwhelm them with too much at one time because then the accidents happen. And I only let one squirrel out to explore at a time so they don't scare or excite each other into a fall, for example.

Mommaluvy - Not sure if a prematurely opened eye will cause blindness. How's your squirrel doing now? I'm curious to know if others have experienced that.
It is so difficult to tell how much a squirrel can actually see because they smell so well and hear the faintest sounds. So just the movement of your hand will cause them to react, making it hard to tell at what distance/if they saw you or not. :shakehead I usually stand still in a room/in front of the cage for a long time before I try anything. This gets them used to my smell at least. When I think they have forgotten about me, I move my hand very, very slowly toward them. I try moving my hand across their face from all sides, different speeds, different angles, etc.
The other obvious way to tell if they are blind or semi-blind is if they bump into things or take a long time to jump up or down from small ledges, for example.
Also, how well do they grab things? The more blind they are, the more difficulty they will have figuring out where that syringe or nut is exactly.

Squeeps with blind squirrels - I hope we can start posting pics of our squirrels' eyes with a description of how much they can see. I think this would not only be interesting but very helpful as well. :thumbsup

[lilidukes]

My blind squirrel Puff aka Puffyman came to me with obvious
eye problems at 5-6 weeks old. I placed him with a eyes closed
female who would I already knew be an NR squirrel. 4 years
later they are still together. Reyza takes care of him and is
his protector from everyone except me.
I do believe Sissy also has/had a blind squirrel with a cage mate.
This is ideal if they are very young.

I have fleece ropes to the floor of Puffs cage so when he comes
out to play finding his way down is never a problem. When he
gets to the floor he slowly makes his way around my squirrel rooms.
Then before you know it he is running around and is everywhere.
Very seldom does he run into anything but me. His cage does get
moved around when the house gets full and more cages are moved
in. He has always adjusted to the changes without any problems.
Puff did fall from one level to another level of a new cat tree one time
but in seconds Reyza was there to calm him and show him the way
down. Normally when out of cage they go totally separate directions.

I've found with Puff that he is very aware of all of his surroundings.
His ability to navigate is simply amazing. He does not jump except
while in his cage but will climb anything then find his way back down.

I really don't do anything different with him and his cage than any of
my other NR's.

Puffy is totally blind occasionally he gets his days and nights turned
around and will be up all night long playing.

241556

[Fireweed]

Thanks for sharing all that lilidukes.
It's so sweet that Reyza takes care of Puff. :Love_Icon



Puffy is totally blind occasionally he gets his days and nights turned
around and will be up all night long playing.
That is so interesting! I never thought of that before.
I have been worried about my blind squirrel -
thinking there was something wrong because he tends to sleep
a lot during the day and stay up all night.
Interessssting...
:thankyou

[farrelli]

This also happens to humans. The body has a number of internal clocks and they all don't keep the same time, but they are synchronized by a central clock called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which oddly doesn't run on a 24 hour cycle. It's more like 25. As such, things get out of whack. Exposure to light keeps it moving on a 24 hour cycle, the absence of which leaves it to its own devices. You may have even seen a drug advertised on TV of late which helps the totally blind stay on schedule.

Funny, I was thinking about the SCN either last night or this morning. Its like all the pieces of our bodies evolved on other planets with all kinds of different day and night cycles, and even the thing that keeps it all straight doesn't naturally move on the same schedule as the earth.

[czarina]

We had a blind cat, and that was his name, Blind Cat, and his mother, Buttercup led him around for years, until he passed away. She would lead him to the water and food, and she was quite testy if anything threatened him, like if one of the dogs got to close. They were all afraid of her.
Aint Mother Nature grand!!!!!

[Mommaluvy]

Sunny opened her other eye a few days ago. I think she was older than I was told. That said her other eye is clear and black. The possible premature eye has a faint white cloud that resembles the squirrel posted above.

Due to her increasing size I took her out of the pinky box and in with the big guys. She immediately came alive playing and climbing and eating and curling her tail over her back. ( she weighed 90 grams and the pinkies were close to 30-50 range)

I'll see if I can't get a picture up. The pinks she came with are now about 3 weeks old and I have had a terrible time with them and diarrhea. Different post.
That said some of them are opening their eyes now too which still appears to me to be too soon

Anyhow I am certain she has full vision in the one eye .. And partial in the other.